Creative Bergen invites area residents to walk through art exhibits and performances in 16 municipalities during its first Arts Amble June 11 to 13.
The nonprofit was formed in 2020 to encourage residents, restaurants and businesses to interact with and support the arts in Bergen County.
“My inspiration was the Meander Art Crawl in western Minnesota,” said organizer Mark Olson, now a retired computer professional living in Ridgefield Park. “They do a tour of studios featuring 40 local artists from the Upper Minnesota River Valley. We modeled what we’re doing on them, and they even helped us set up.”
The three-day event allows artists and performers to showcase their talent working with paint, photography, sculpture, woodwork, weaving, dance, music and theater.
“This is really more about the community than selling a lot of paintings,” said artist Rafael Guadalupe of Ridgefield Park’s Studio Leshay Rafael, one of the exhibitors. “It’s about hope. We invite residents to join this departure from reality in a way that is hopeful.”
Restaurants and businesses in the vicinity of each exhibit are also expected to benefit while lending support to the effort, Guadalupe said.
“We are hoping to expand this in the future, art in the park, murals, making art accessible in public places,” Guadalupe said.
Events include:
Bogota: Olsen Park, 162 W. Main St., noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, “Bogota Beautiful” visual artists.
Cliffside Park: Memorial Park, 525 Palisades Ave., Theatre in the Park 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, play at 3 p.m., plus arts and crafts.
Fair Lawn: Cadmus House Museum, 14 Pollitt Drive, noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, wood, jewelry and photographer displays.
Fort Lee: Fort Lee Park; Hudson Street at Main Street; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday to Sunday; Fort Lee Artist Guild.
Glen Rock:
- Lisa Hahn Studios, 444 Ackerman Ave., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday to Sunday, stained glass;
- Patricia Smythe, 7 Eton Place, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday to Sunday, watercolorist;
- Soosoostudios , 56 Gaynor Place, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, visual artist.
Hackensack: Hackensack Brewery, 78 Johnson Ave.; and Margaret Durbeck, 776 Summit Ave.; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday to Sunday, paintings.
Hillsdale: Dream Maker Studios, 101 West St., No. 2; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday to Sunday; pottery, upcycled clothing and accessories, paintings, etc.
Leonia: Sculpture For Leonia, Station Parkway and Fort Lee Road, 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Mahwah: JCC of Northern New Jersey/Beth Haverim, 280 Ramapo Valley Road, 4 p.m. Sunday, concert violinist Dr. David Podles, advance tickets required.
Oakland: Public Library, 2 Municipal Plaza, and adjacent Veteran’s Park, Ramapo Valley Road; music 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; “Arts of Oakland” gallery 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Performance by Zumbini, demonstration by U Paint Studios.
Oradell: Hague Park, 542 Oradell Ave., 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, variety of arts and family activities.
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Ridgefield Park:
- Studio Leshay Rafael, 35 Edwin St., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday to Sunday; paint, sculpture, design, photography.
- Pottery on the Palisades, 425 Main St., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday to Sunday.
- Art Mora Gallery, 173 Main St., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday to Sunday, multiple visual artists.
- Civic Center, 159 Park St., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday to Sunday, young adult author Michelle Reynoso, visual artists, kid-friendly Zumbini with Sarah Viviani.
- Grove and Main streets, 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, live music and street dancing, art festival, tables and chairs for dinner on the street.
- McGowan Park, Bergen Turnpike between Elm and Oak streets, 4 p.m. Sunday, piano recitals by Anahid Syourapian Piano Studio.
Ridgewood:
- Art of Motion Dance Theatre, Spring Avenue at Dunham Trail, 5 p.m. Friday, dance, spoken text, vocal music.
- James Rose Center, 506 E. Ridgewood Ave., 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, visual artists. Bergen Youth Art Exhibition 5 to 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Rutherford:
- Soldato Books, 19 Franklin Place, 1 to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday, poetry readings.
- Williams Center for the Performing Arts, 1 Sylvan St., 2 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Rutherford Arts Council, Rutherford Rocks, Ruby Bones, multiple musical and visual artists.
Saddle Brook: Karen Waller Fine Art and Design, 118 Rochelle Parkway, 2nd Floor, Fri, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Westwood:
- Veteran’s Memorial Park, 50 Madison Ave., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Adelphi Orchestra at 1 p.m., visual artists.
- Caffe Anello, 11 Madison Ave, painter, ongoing.
- Public Library, 49 Park Ave., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, visual artists, Westwood Green Team hosts multiple artists repurposing materials into art.
- Westwood Gallery, 10 Westwood Ave., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, visual artists.
Events are free and open to the public. For a complete list of events visit artsamble.org/event-schedule.
Marsha Stoltz is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
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Twitter: @marsha_stoltz